‘Be pleased Me’ Wins Mammoth Prize, Nuovo Award on the 2025 IGF Awards
By Indie game Be pleased Me, created by Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P and Ken “coda” Snyder, secured the Seumas McNally Grand Prize as well as the Nuovo Award during the 2025 Independent Games Festival on Wednesday.
Be pleased Me is a darkly humorous personal game reflecting creator Jenny Jiao Hsia’s relationship with food, inspired by her past experiences with weight loss aspirations and disordered eating. In addition to the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and the Nuovo Award, this title also won this year’s Wings Award, which “celebrates remarkable games where women and other gender-marginalized developers hold key roles.” Be pleased Me was also nominated in several categories, including Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, and Excellence in Visual Arts.
The comprehensive lineup of 2025 IGF Award winners, as well as the nominees in every category, showcases a diverse collection of talented independent game developers throughout the global industry
Other honorees of the IGF Awards include the Excellence in Visual Art winner Hauntii by Moonloop Games, an adventure exploring a ghost’s journey through the afterlife.
The Excellence in Audio winner, Despelote by Julián Cordero and Sebastián Valbuena, is a slice-of-life adventure that delves into childhood and the magical significance soccer had for the people of Quito, Ecuador, in 2001. Slot Ruin by Vinny Roca won Best Student Game. It is an experimental video game installation that articulates a lengthy, absurdist Rube Goldberg-esque production process.
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The Excellence in Design winner, Tactical Breach Wizards by Suspicious Developments, is a turn-based tactical game where players control a team of wizards battling against a theocracy. Caves of Qud by Freehold Games and Kitfox Games, a science fantasy roguelike narrative steeped in retrofuturism, deep simulation, and swathes of sentient plants, claimed the Excellence in Narrative Award. The WereCleaner by The WereCleaner Team won the community-driven Audience Award, selected by fans through a public voting process.
Lastly, ChromaCorp by The ChromaCorp Team won the alt.ctrl.gdc Award, which recognizes the most innovative, engaging, and well-executed game utilizing unconventional, accessible, or alternative physical controls. Like the IGF Awards nominees, the alt.ctrl.gdc titles are showcased in playable forms at the GDC Expo.
The recipients of the IGF Awards, together with the award amounts they received, are:
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Excellence in Visual Art ($2,000)
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Hauntii (Moonloop Games / Firestoke)
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Excellence in Audio ($2,000)
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Despelote (Julián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena / Awe)
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Excellence in Design ($2,000)
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Tactical Breach Wizards (Suspicious Developments)
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Excellence in Narrative ($2,000)
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Caves of Qud (Freehold Games / Kitfox Games)
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Nuovo Award ($2,000)
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Be pleased Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken “coda” Snyder)
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Best Student Game ($2,000)
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Audience Award ($2,000)
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The WereCleaner (The WereCleaner Team / USC Games)
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alt.ctrl.gdc Award ($2,000)
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ChromaCorp (The ChromaCorp Team)
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Seumas McNally Grand Prize ($10,000)
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Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken “coda” Snyder)
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Related:‘Balatro’ Plays Winning Hand at GDCA 2025, Claiming Game of the Year
The 2025 IGF Awards, held at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, represent a part of the longest-standing competition, summit, and showcase honoring independent games and their developers. The Independent Games Festival has acted as a catalyst for innovative independent titles. Past IGF award recipients includeVenba, Neon White, Inscryption, Return of the Obra Dinn, Her Story, and a multitude of other critically acclaimed and culturally significant hits.
All IGF entries, including both finalists and winners, are accessible for any GDC badge holder at the IGF Pavilion, located on the GDC Expo Floor in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, until Friday, March 21.
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